Cinnamon roll muffins are a delicious and easy-to-make treat that is perfect for breakfast, brunch, or a sweet snack. These muffins are a fun and creative twist on traditional cinnamon rolls, with sweet and spicy cinnamon filling layered between the soft and tender muffin batter. Muffins are one of our favorite weekend baking projects to use for after-school snacks throughout the week. They are also the easiest to bake and there is something for everyone. I am doing a 6-week muffin challenge with a group of blogging buddies and I am excited to be trying very new flavors and ingredients. My first muffin was Cake Yazdi or the Persian cardamom and rose water muffin. I have quite a bit of muffin recipes on the blog and I am excited to be adding more!
Cinnamon roll vs cinnamon roll muffins
Cinnamon rolls are a traditional breakfast pastry made from a yeast dough that is filled with a delicious cinnamon sugar mixture. I bake these beautiful heart-shaped cinnamon rolls for Valentine’s Day and it is so much fun. But it is a yeasted dough and it takes a good 3 hours from start to finish. Unlike the cinnamon rolls, the cinnamon roll muffin takes just about 30 minutes. This is a batter-based ‘quick bread’ leavened using baking powder instead of yeast. All we need are a bowl and a whisk and muffin tins to bake them. So when pressed on time and craving a warm cinnamon roll, bake these muffins instead. Or if you are trying your hands on some whole grain baking, then try this whole wheat cinnamon roll recipe. This one though needs a little bit of patience as it takes over a day from start to finish. And of course, if you want to bake a classic cinnamon raisin bread, then this is the recipe to make.
Ingredients and substitutes
Check the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact measurements and printable detailed recipes. Flour - I used all-purpose flour to make the muffins. I also have used whole wheat pastry flour to make muffins and they work great as well. We need about ¼ cup of extra flour to make the cinnamon sugar filling. Baking powder - Always make sure that the baking powder is fresh and not expired. Sugar - We need both white granulated sugar and brown sugar. White granulated sugar is to make the muffins and the brown sugar is for the cinnamon sugar layer and topping. Egg - I used 1 large egg in the cinnamon roll muffin recipe. A flax egg or egg substitute can also be used. Sour cream - I love using sour cream in bakes. It gives the muffins an amazing flavor and texture. Out of sour cream? No worries. You can substitute with yogurt or buttermilk or just use half a cup more milk. Milk - I have used whole milk in the recipe, but reduced-fat milk will work just as well. Oil and butter - We will be using oil to make muffins. I use vegetable oil but any neutral oil will work. Cold butter is used to make the cinnamon sugar filling. Vanilla - I have used vanilla essence for flavoring. If looking to change it up a little, we could use the almond extract as well. Cinnamon powder Salt Cream cheese drizzle or powdered sugar glaze - I used store-bought cream cheese frosting and added a little milk to make it into a flowing consistency.
How to make cinnamon sugar muffins
Make the cinnamon sugar filling
Baking the cinnamon roll muffins
Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a bowl, combine 1 cup of brown sugar, ¼ cup of all-purpose flour, and 1 Tablespoon of cinnamon. Mix well to combine. Add the cold butter pieces and combine it with the sugar mixture. I use my hands to combine, but a fork will work fine. This is going to be the cinnamon sugar layer in between the muffins and also the crumble layer on top.
Make the muffin batter
In a large bowl, combine 1 egg and ¾th cup of white granulated sugar (1). Whisk it well to combine (2). Now add ¼ cup of oil, ½ cup of sour cream, and ½ cup of milk along with 2 teaspoon of vanilla (3), and mix well (4). Mix it gently with a whisk or a spatula (6). Do not over mix as they will make the muffins dense. Line the muffin tins with a muffin liner. I usually say that it is optional to use a muffin liner, but in this case, I would highly recommend using it. The cinnamon sugar layer in the middle of the muffin oozes out and when it sticks to the muffin tin, it is hard to unmold the muffins. Bake cinnamon roll muffins for 20 to 22 minutes or until light brown. Insert a toothpick in the center of the muffin to check if it comes out clean. Then add about 1 tablespoon of cinnamon sugar mixture in the center (8). Make sure to leave about ½ cup of filling to use as a crumble/streusel topping. Now top the tin with the remaining batter evenly distributing it between the muffin tins (9). Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the muffins (10). Remove the muffins onto a cooling rack and let them cool down to room temperature before drizzling them with cream cheese drizzle.
Expert Tips
Use paper muffin liners to prevent sticking and make it easy to remove the muffins from the pan. Try to divide the muffin batter evenly between two layers. This way the cinnamon sugar layer is right in the middle. Make sure to not overmix the batter, as this can cause the muffins to become tough and dense. Mix the batter just until the ingredients are combined and there are no lumps. Also, make sure not to overbake the cinnamon roll muffins. The crumble topping can burn and also overbaking makes the muffin dry.
How to store cinnamon roll muffins
Allow the muffins to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. The muffins stay well at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Cinnamon muffins freeze really well. Store them in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze them for up to 2 months. The frozen muffins can be thawed at room temperature and reheated in the microwave or oven until warm before serving.
Frequently asked questions
More muffin recipes
If you made this recipe and liked it, give a star rating on the recipe card or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #MyCookingJourney and tagging me @sandhya.ramakrishnan. You could follow me and my recipes on Facebook |Instagram | Pinterest | twitter
Recipe Card
Recipe
